Enhancing Motivation Strategies in a Mandatory University Geography Course

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of innovative teaching strategies designed to enhance student motivation and engagement in a compulsory Physical Geography of the Iberian Peninsula course taught to first-year history students at the University of Seville. The paper outlines the challenges faced in teaching large and diverse groups of students, and the need to develop instructional approaches that accommodate various learning preferences and academic backgrounds. The re-search evaluates the impact of the implemented strategies on students' perception of the subject matter, with a specific focus on the shift in rankings from the beginning to the end of the academic year. The findings demonstrate a significant improvement in students' appreciation for the subject, as evidenced by a decrease in the percentage of students who ranked the course as their least preferred (from 40.7% to 4.9%) and an increase in the percentage who ranked it as their most preferred (from 0% to 11.1%). The study concludes that the adoption of motivational strategies, including active learning techniques, collaborative tasks, and personalized feedback, can lead to substantial improvements in student engagement and overall learning outcomes in a compulsory university course. The implications for teaching practice and future research are discussed.

Gamification in Geography. Use, appropriateness and proposals ac-cording to university students in Spain

“…In relation with the motivation of the students, different authors (Chu & Hung, 2015;Fraile-Jurado & Periáñez-Cuevas, 2023;González & Blanco, 2008;Marín et al, 2019) show that the use of gamification improves their motivation and academic performance. This is explained by the fact that the use of gamified resources in Geography implies a change in the traditionally used methodology.…”

“…There is also a structural problem which is manifested on an international level (D'Agostino & Santus, 2022; Kidman, 2018;Murphy, 2018), even in countries such as the United Kingdom where this discipline has traditionally enjoyed considerable prestige (Butt & Lambert, 2014). The majority of researchers agree that it is due to the perception of students of how this subject is taught (Fraile-Jurado & Periáñez-Cuevas, 2023). In general, it is characterized by being a discipline which is trained with traditional methodologies (lectures or lessons, memorization and an excessive use of the school textbook) (D'Agostino & Santus, 2022;Espinoza, 2022;Guasch, 2020;Santiago, 2005).…”

“…With respect with teaching/learning resources, gamification and game-based learning has become one of the most motivational methodologies in teaching in general (Chetan et al, 2018;Mora et al, 2016;Ortiz et al, 2018;Pegalajar, 2021;Roa et al, 2021;Zeybek & Saygı, 2024) and in Geography in particular (Casado & Castro, 2017;Corrales & Garrido, 2021;Fraile-Jurado & Periáñez-Cuevas, 2023;Ye et al, 2021). However, recent publications in Spain indicate how the use and application of gamified resources in Geography at the university level is still low (Morote & Hernández, 2022).…”